The Power of the Invisible
A memoir of solidarity, humanity and resistance
The Power of the Invisible tells the inspiring true story of how a twenty-eight-year-old Black woman rose to become Colombia’s Minister of Culture, an unprecedented event in the history of the country. In her own words, Paula Moreno tells us of her upbringing in Columbia and how she overcame the odds and a host of challenges to achieve two important milestones, becoming the youngest person to ever hold her position and becoming the first Afro-Colombian woman ever to hold any ministerial office in the Colombian government.
Paula Moreno’s work inspires and exemplifies how far women of colour have come and how far they still have to go in capturing the equality, recognition, and the opportunities they deserve in our world today.
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Original Language
SPANISH (World) | Ediciones B/PRH Colombia
Translation Rights
ENGLISH (NA) | University of New Mexico Press
ENGLISH (UK & Africa) | Cassava Republic Press
Reviews
"Paula Moreno Zapata offers a meditation on leadership rooted in humility, lineage, resilience and responsibility, challenging dominant paradigms that equate power with domination or spectacle. In a global context marked by polarized identity politics and contested forms of representation, her memoir provides a sober, reflective and necessary intervention… The Power of the Invisible speaks not only to Colombia and Latin America, but to a wider global audience concerned with who gets to lead, how, and at what cost.” Aurora Vergara Figueroa, Harvard Review of Latin America
"The Power of the Invisible is a testimony of love, hope and dreams. The protagonist’s projects, both before, during and after her ministerial functions are motivated by the dream of a society of equal opportunities. It is a testimony of belonging to a marginalized community and the need to draw energy from the history, culture and memories of that community in spite of its oft-misrepresented history. ... [It] is a tribute to Paula’s modest family whose sacrifices and inspiration constitute a solid background for her dreams. But it is also a tribute to the invisibilized people of Colombia and the world whose contributions to humanity are denied and obfuscated. It is a tribute to racial others and voices like that of Marielle Franco, the Afro-Brazilian activist killed in Rio de Janeiro in 2018, who are silenced for being considered different and for articulating a vision of human equality that threatens white supremacy and privilege." Dr. Gilbert Shang Ndi, Universität Bayreuth (Germany)
“Paula Moreno is one of the luminous forces in the world guiding us toward a more inclusive future in which those on the outer edges of society—including, historically, young Afro-Colombian women like her—are not only seen but invited in as equal partners to re-energize the inner core of public life. Her deeply engaging memoir, The Power of the Invisible, is itself a profound act of cultural creation by the youngest and first Black woman ever to hold a ministerial position in her country.” Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor, Harvard University
“Paula Moreno candidly reflects on her historic ascendency and relentless pursuit of equality that reverberated not just within the Afro-Colombian community, but globally. Moreno reminds us of the courage it takes to break the mold, and never to underestimate the power of young leaders to usher in positive change.” Darren Walker, former president (2013–2025) of the Ford Foundation
